[Doctor Wu]

I'm planning on running my first 50k this summer and need some trail shoes. Up until now I've been mostly a road runner and have owned a couple of pair of Adidas trail shoes which I use mostly for winter running. But I need some new trail shoes for winter running and the upcoming season when the trails get clear of snow since my current Adidas trail shoes give me blisters after 12 miles. Just not as good a fit as Mizuno for me. 90% of the time I wear some very light Mizuno flats. For my first few years as a runner I tried several brands and finally settled on Mizuno for the best fit.<br><br>
So my question is: I get the impression that most ultra runners wear trail specific brands like Montrail and Salomon, etc. Do any of you wear brands that are more common among roadies, like Adidas, Asics, Mizuno, etc? Should I try a brand popular among trail runners when I have a lot of fit and comfort problems?<br><br>
BTW: I just purchased a pair of Mizuno Wave Ascend 3's. They just came in the mail today. Haven't even run in them yet. Maybe I answered my own question but I'd still like to know if you all wear different brands for trail versus road.<br><br><i>And hey, powers that be, please don't move this to the gear forum. I want to hear from these maniacs!</i>

 

[ctxcrossx]

You'll get answers all over the map. My favorite is the New Balance 873. Fit is most important, and only you can answer that. If I were you, I'd try on several different pairs and see what works for you.<br><br>
My feature list is: lightweight, durable, drains well, 2e width, protection from rocks.<br><br>
I'm lucky that the 873s meet all criteria, unfortunately, they seem to not be selling them anymore. <img alt="sad2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad2.gif"><br><br>
Chris

 

[Sherpa John]

Well if I am banditing a race.... oh.. nevermind..<br><br>
I started running in a pair of Asic shoes.. I thought they SUCKED on the trails.<br>
Then I switched to a pair of Loco Running Shoes... and they felt like the box...<br><br>
So then I switched to Salomon Xa Pro 3D XCR's.. these shoes were great at first. UNTIL... they fell apart. Clear across the toe box these shoes rip wide open as a horizontal line opens up right across the top. I was PISSED! Why pay $125 for a pair of trail runners with Goretex when water and the elements only cause them to tear apart. After having this happen to THREE pairs.. it attributed to my changing of shoes. Also.. the Salomons are known for having Heel degradation... meaning, the heel cup breaks down easily AND causes huge blisters on some runners. This is the other reason I got rid of them..<br><br>
I now wear Montrail Hardrocks and these things are the CATS MEOW. Relatively cheap, last forever and a great shoe all around.<br><br>
I will be trying on Inov-8 305's in the next few weeks. I'll let you know how it goes.<br><br>
The bottom lines are... #1.. don't go spending a TON of money on a pair of shoes because it has a zillion bells and whistles and promises to keep your feet dry. WHATEVER... you'll have them worn out before you really need to worry.<br><br>
Find out what works best FOR YOU and ONLY YOU. They are YOUR feet.. not ours.<br><br>
SJ

 

[crunningman]

INOV-8 Flyroc 310 - Need I say more!<br><br>
Well, actually most of their (<a href="http://www.inov-8.com/Products.asp?L=26&PG=PG1" target="_blank">INOV-8</a>) shoes pretty good.

 

[cgerber]

I got a whole mess of shoes... Brooks, Montrails, LaSportivas, Inov-8s, GoLites<br><br>
I really like the Inov-8s a lot. The Hardrocks are my defacto "really rough terrain, ie mountaineering/scrambling" shoe, though the deep heel cup has been irritating my achilles as of late. The Sportivas are sweet too... I like the Slingshots and have worn them in races up to 34 miles w/o any issues.<br><br>
I just can't make up my mind... sorry, I'm probably not very helpful <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[Last Place Jason]

It's not a popular choice, but I like running without shoes. It's cheap. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[merigayle]

Brooks Cascadia! I tried a bunch of others-- Montrail, Keen, Salomon, Northface and decided to stick with the Brooks for now <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> I think i have a difficult foot to fit!

 

[pithydoug]

I've been wearing roads shoes for all my races, both road and trail. At best I add some screws when I suspect some mud. I only have to contend with one model for all my needs.<br><br>
As we all know they change models all too frequently and we forever have find a new shoe or at least see if the replacement model works. I do that with one model and then order 3-4 pairs. Actually I order enough pairs so I can train and then do my target race without having to worry about model changes as race day nears.<br><br>
I'm sure there are races which have some awful footing and a more aggressive tread is necessary but so far none of my races have pushed me over that line.

 

[grommit]

.....love my brooks cascadias! also have a pair of nike trail pegs..... use them on hard dry surfaces as they have little more cushioning.... good luck wu!

 

[crunningman]

Back to the INOV-8 models. I am intrigued by this model. Anyone tried it?<br><br><img alt="" src="http://www.inov-8.com/Images/Product-Large-Images/Roclite%20295%20Slate-Blue.jpg" style="border:0px solid;">

 

[Trail Monster]

Not yet. I do most of my running in Inov-8 315's, anything up to 50 miles so far, but I'll probably look for something with more cushion for my first 100 this summer.<br><br>
I'd like to try the Roclite 295 for shorter distances, then see if it works for the long stuff. I'd also be interested to see if anyone out there has tried it yet.

 

[AnthonyP]

Brooks Cascadia 3

 

[Opie]

Hey, I saw where you got accepted into Brooks ID-me too! So I've been running in Brooks road shoes for a while but now I'm switching out of Saucony to Brooks trail shoes too. In fact I'm doing a trail marathon here in Texas tomorrow (LBJ Grasslands), so your avatar caught my attention. They give out a big belt buckle to 50-mile finishers here.

 

[oldschool]

I like my Inov8 Flyroc and Terroc but they really dont have enough arch support for my foot. Brooks Cascadia work better for me. I just got a pair of Merrill Overdrive and so far I like them a lot. Time will tell

 

[merigayle]

Enjoy the Brooks and good luck in your race! I'll come back to your fine state of Texas in February <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[Woodrunner]

I'll repeat what others said; the best shoe is the one that works for you, first in terms of fit then in what features serve your preferences for the type of terrain you'll be running. For me, I need a shoe that works with my wide toes and overpronation. For wet, muddy, technical, hilly, singletrack etc. I usually use Salamon XA pro 3d's (the non gortex ones) - fit my feet like a glove, great protection, low to the ground for good control. Haven't had problems with them falling apart like SJ fortunately. If I'm running a lot on packed gravel roads as well as trails, like in the VT50, I like my Asics Trabucos for the extra cushioning. I've been using the Trabucos with screws for winter running also. I tried Montrail Hardrocks but the fit was all wrong, too narrow for my toes and the arch poked into my sole, sent them back. Really liked the fit and features and quality of the Inov-8 TerRoc's I tried but am unsure if the minimilist support would work well for me. Would like to try some Sportivas sometime. I've got a bunch of notes comparing different different shoes I tried before, will try to post someday.

 

[kfine39]

Shoe choices are like music choices.... individual...they must speak to you. I have been wearing Nike Trail pegasus for quite some time.... which means I like pop music... i like underground, college bands once they "sell out" and go mainstream... I also like the Yankees, so basically, I like all "Evil Empires". As Nike is often viewed as "sell outs" and an "evil empire".<br><br>
Wearing Brooks (which I used to wear) is like being a Dave Matthews fan... and knowing all tracks... not just "Ants go Marching".<br><br>
Asics, lets face it... they used to be the evil empire, as did Adidas. So perhaps they are Disco artists? I mean, Barry Gibb, kept coming out with hits, even though disco was being burned in the street!<br><br>
Montrail, Keen, Salomon, Northface are the bands still "underground".... although Northface with DK is clearly trying to go pop. All these manufaturers have been creating a buzz, kinda like when grunge/ seattle bands came out...<br><br>
So basically, determine your musical taste... and that will help you determine the right shoe for you.... Ask anyone in a running store... this is a tried an true method, better than a tread mill and video camera!<br><img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[corrade]

I am no guru of any sort, but have gone through a handful of pairs of trail shoes. What I've learned is that the low profile, low to the ground build is essential for trails. Your feet will not work nearly so hard staying flat, your ankles notice the difference. Shoes with a good rock guard make a big difference. Cheap trail models by companies sometimes skip this, and your feet will feel like tenderized beef after wearing them on rocky terrain. Those same shoes may be great for simple gravel road trails, lightweight and durable. Personally, even though my footstrike is pretty messed up, I like really light neutral shoes. The surface is totally irregular so why limit your foot's motion with support? You'll need to adapt to the surface somehow. Support posts and stuff just hurt my ankles.<br><br>
Two kind of fringe brands Innov-8 and Sportiva are pretty darn good shoes. Innov-8 will feel very strange compared to most others, but some of my best injury-free miles were in Innov-8's. For some reason I prefer Sportiva even though I've had 2 pairs fall apart on me. The Fireblades are tough as nails, and my favorite shoe ever, still going strong at 400 miles (free at a race raffle!) I've also gone through their Raceblades, and now have a pair of Crosslites. On both, the mesh material where my fore-foot flexes simply broke down at the creases after 100 rocky miles or so, and the raceblades tore an eyelet. They're very light and comfy shoes. Sportiva and Innov-8 are hard to find and try-on but worth the trouble to order and/or return IMHO

 

[Buddo]

There's a team runner on the Inov8 blog that wore the 295's for a 100. Said they are his new favorites. I'm of a minimalist mindset. During the VT50 I ran in sandals, Hi-tec Socorro's, on the recommendation of a guy who lives and trains with the tarahumara indians in North central mexico. My feet hurt for six weeks after. Felt like I had a pebble IN the ball of my foot (Morton's Nueroma, swollen nerves). Ouch! So I'm looking for something with a little cushioning, though no support. Right now I'm running in racing flats, New Balance 950's. Discontinued, but picked em up through Joe's New Balance Outlet online. I'm going to go with either the Fireblades or the Inov8's. these seem to be the minimalist preference. Check out the blog for Anton Krupika as well, as he is has a minimalist mindset and wears low profile shoes. He wore Inov8's for his win in Colorado last year (what was that race, the Race Across the Sky?, Leadville! Right). 100 miles. He wears Puma H-streets, darn near to slippers. then again, he doesn't weigh 190 lbs as I do.

 

[Doctor Wu]

Thank you everybody. What a wide variety of opinions! The Mizuno trail shoes I ordered turned out to be too big so I returned them. I'm starting to think I'll just go with my Mizuno Flats, the Elixir's. I'm the minimalist type too, and hate bulky shoes which seem to force my ankles to move too rigidly. I prefer some flexibility under my feet.